title: Expression and distribution of carbohydrate sequences in chick germ cells: a comparative study with lectins and the NC-1/HNK-1 monoclonal antibody.
abstract: The expression of end-chain sugar residues and of oligosaccharidic sequences has been investigated in chick germ cells at critical stages during the migration, proliferation and sexual differentiation of these cells. Fluorescent lectins and indirect immunofluorescence studies using the NC-1/HNK-1 monoclonal antibody indicate a remarkable control of glycosylation during germ cell embryonal life. Besides a retained expression of glucose/mannose residues, it was found that alpha- and beta-galactose residues, N-acetyllactosamine and N-N' diacetylchitobiose sequences as well as the sulfated trisaccharidic NC-1 epitope were detectable in a stage-specific pattern. Present at a very high density in the cytoplasm and on the surface of the early germ cells at premigrative and migratory stages, the staining for these carbohydrate sequences gradually disappeared when the germ cells settled and proliferated in the developing gonadal primordia. The disaccharide Gal beta 1----3 Gal NAc was exclusively detected in migrating PGCs. In sexualized gonads, acetyllactosamine and/or diacetylchitobiose were similarly reexpressed in both oogonia and spermatogonia. Spermatogonia displayed beta-galactose residues and a high immunoreactivity with the NC1 Mab, indicating modulations in PGC glycosylations related to the acquisition of sexual phenotypes. In addition NC-1 was found to be expressed in the somatic component of the undifferentiated gonad and in the testis interstitial gland.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biologie Animale, Université de Clermont Blaise-Pascal, Aubière, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Didier
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Didier
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fargeix
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guillot
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Thiery
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D002642:Chick Embryo; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D006001:Glycoconjugates / Q000378:metabolism*; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006001:Glycoconjugates; D037102:Lectins